Viscosimeter



May 25, 1943. s. E; BUCKLEY VISCOSIMETER Filed March 24, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR.

R slew/g EAL-14521 ATTORNEY 28 CONDUCTOR 50 F0 ELICTRICAL- May 25, 1943.s. E. BUCKLE Y 2,320,218

' VISCOSIMETER Filed March 24,. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v ATTORNEYPatented May 25, 1943 v VISCOSIMETER Stuart E. Buckley, Houston, Tex.,assignor to.

Standard Oil Development ration Delaware Company; a corpo- ApplicationMarch 24, 1941, Serial No. 384,871

' (cases-111) 6 Claims.

The present invention is directed to a 'viscosimeter and particularly toa device for measusing the viscosity of fluid containing gas at highpressure.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a'viscosimeter which makes possible the measurement of the viscosity of afluid containing gas at elevated pressures and temperatures.

An additional object'of the present invention is the provision of aviscosimeter which is so constructed as to enable theoperator toreprorow bore hole extending for a substantial portion of its length.Arranged in this bore is a tube I6 of such diameter as to leave anannular space between the tube and the bore.

At the lower end of the box-e is a packing disk ll on which tube 16 canseat. The tube is norduce conditions existing in subsurface formationsand to determine theviscosity of fluids obtained from said formationsunder the reservoir conditions. An additional object'of the presentinvention is theprovision of a device of the character described soconstructed as to eliminate inaccuracies in readings due to vaporlooking.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear fromthe following detailed description of the accompanying drawit ings inwhich Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a deviceaccording to the present invention; and V Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, numeral I designates a base towhich is secured a pair of spaced parallel vertical walls 2. In each ofthese walls at its upper end is journaled a trunnion 3 which is rigidly.connected to a cylinder 4. This cylinder is a thick walled metalcylinder capable of withstanding extremely high pressures. One of thetrunnions has an L-shaped bore 5, to the axial end of which isconnecteda. tube 6 through a nipple 1, and to the radial end of which isconnected a tube 8 through a nipple 9. The other end of tube 6 isconnected.

to 'a pump, and the other end of tube 2 is connected to an enlargedchamber I l in theupper end of cylinder 4 through a'nipple .II and alateral passage II in the wall of the cylinder.

The front edges of the walls 2 are provided with notches ll adapted toreceive a; bar which serves as a stop for thecylinder so that it can bebrought to rest at different angles to the vertical. A similar stop M inthe form of a bar is carried between the walls 2. It will be understoodthat as many notches 13 as desired may be provided 'so as to enableviscosity measurementseto be made at as many angular positions of thecylinder 4 as desired. h

The cylinder] is provided with a central narmally held oil this seat bya spring 18 arranged at the upper end of the bore IS. The upper end ofthe tube I6 is provided at its outer surface with a flange l5 which isadapted to abut against astop 20 which limits the upward movement of thetube. The upper end of the chamber I0 is provided with a plug 2| whichhas a central opening to receive a plunger 22 which xtends into theenlarged chamber 10 and is provided with a head 23 adapted to seal oilthe upper end of tube l6. Between the outer end of the plunger and theplug 2i is an annular space filled with packing 2 l which may becompressed by a screw threaded collar 25. Similarly between the outersurface of the plug 2| and the wall of cylinder 4 is an annular spacefilled with packing 26 which may be compressed by' a threaded collar21!. 7

The lower end of the cylinder 4 carries a threaded plug 28 which has acentral opening in which is arranged an adapter 29 carrying an electrode20 which extends through the packing disk [1 in a position tmcontact themetal ball 3| which is of such diameter as to roll in the tube IS withits surface contacting'the inner sura that the fluid will be at least assaturated with the gas as it was lnthe formation. The formationtemperature may be reproduced by im jmersing the entire device in a bathof fluid maintained at the formation temperature.

7 When the device is charged, the cylinder 4 is I oscillated on itstrunnions so as to insure a thortween the tube It and the bore i5, thuseliminating any possibility of a gas poclret at the readings erroneous.I

When the operator is satisfied that the two 'phases in ,the chamber arein equilibrium, he

screws down the plunger 22 to seat the tube It on the packing disk l1and to sealthe upper end of the tube. Then the cylinder is inverted topermit the ball to come to rest on the plunger.

,Then the cylinder is flipped to any desired an-- tion with respect tothe vertical, determined by the notch in which the stop. bar isarranged,

or if the notches are not used, by stop bar l4.

' determinations or viscosity of a fluid saturated to various degreeswith gas at elevated pressures can be ascertained.

It will be noted that theconnection between the tube 6 and the chamber iis such that no bending stress is introduced into the fluid-conductingtubes. In this connection, it will be understood that there is a swivelconnection between tube 6 and nipple 1.

The nature and objects of the present invention havingbeen thusdescribed and illustrated. what is claimed as new and useful and isdesired to be secured byLetters Patent is:

1. A viscosimeter for the determination of the viscosity of a fluid atelevated pressure comprising a cylinder provided with-a relatively smalldiameter axial bore having an enlarged chamber at its upper end and afluidsealing seat at its lower end, the bore and chamber normal y beingin open fluid communication, means for intro-.

, ducing fluid to be tested into said enlarged chamber, a tube arrangedin said bore adapted to seat on said fluid sealing seat, said tube beingoi. such diameter as to leave an annular space between its outer surfaceand'the wall of, the bore, means for normally urging said tube oi! itsseat to thereby establish fluid communication between said annularspace, and said enlarged chamber and said tube, means for pressing saidtube on its seat and sealing its upper end, and a ball adapted totraverse said tube.

2. A viscosimeter for the determination of the viscosity of a fluid atelevated pressure comprising a cylinder provided with a relatively smalldiameter axial bore having an enlarged chamber at its upper end and afluid sealing seat at its lower end, the bore and chamber normally beingin open fluid communication, means for supporting said cylinderintermediate its ends for oscillation aboutan axis intermediate itsends, means for introducing fluid to be tested intosaid enlargedchamber, a tube arranged in said bore adapted to seat on said fluid'sealingseat, said tube being of such diameter as to leavean annularspace between its outer surface and the wall oi." said bore, means fornormally urging said tube oi! its seat to thereby establish fluid com-.munication between said annular space, and said enlarged chamber andsaid tube, means for presslower end of the bore which would make the ingsaid tube on its seat and sealing its upper end, and a ball adapted totraverse said tube.

3. A viscosimeter according to claim 2 in which stops are provided forlimiting the oscillation oi said cylinder in a predetermined manner.

'4. A viscosimeter for the determination of the viscosity of a fluid atelevated pressure comprising a cylinder provided with a relatively smalldiameter axial bore having an enlarged chamber at its upper end and afluid sealing seat at its lower end, the bore and chamber normally beingin open fluid communication, an electrical con tact arranged at thelower end of said bore, means for introducing fluid to be tested intosaid enlarged-chamber, a tube arranged in said bore adapted to seat onsaid fluid sealing seat, said tube being 01' such diameter as to leavean annular space between its outer suriace'and the wall of fluid atelevated pressure, comprising a cylinof the bore, means for normallyurging said tube oi! its seat to thereby establish fluid communicationbetween said annular space, and said enlargedchamber, and said tube,means for pressing said tube on its seat and sealing its upper end, anda ball adapted to traverse said tube and contact said electrical contactwhen it is in the I lower end of said tube.

5. A viscosimeter for determining ,the viscosity der provided with arelatively small diameter axial bore having an enlarged chamber atitsupper end and a fluid sealing seat at its lower end, the bore andchamber normally being in open fluid communication, means for supportingsaid cylinder intermediate its ends for oscillation about an axisintermediate its ends, an electrical contact arranged at the lower endof said bore,

means for introducing fluid to be tested into said enlarged chamber, atube arranged in said bore adapted to seat on said fluid sealing seat,said tube being of such diameter asto leave an annu-.

lar space between its outer surface and the wall of the bore, means fornormally urging said tube on its seat to thereby establish fluidcommunication between said annular space, and said enlarged chamber andsaid tube, a plunger arranged in said enlarged chamber and adapted to bemanipulated for forcing said tube onto its seat and sealing its upperend, and a ball adapted to traverse said tube and to contact saidelectrical contact when it is in the lower end of said tube.

6. A viscosimeter for the determination of the viscosity of a fluidcontaining gas at elevated pressure comprising a chamber for receiving aquantity of said fluid containing gas, said chamber including anelongated column of uniform cross section having both of its endsnormally in open fluid communication with the remainder of said chamber,thereby permitting circulation at fluid from said chamber through saidcolumn and back to said chamber, the volume of said column constitutingonly part of the total volume of said chamber, means for mounting saidchamber which admit'of agitation of said fluid after its admission tosaid chamber for establishing equilibrium between the gas and the fluid,means for segregating the fluid in said column from the remainder oi thefluid, and ball adapted to traverse said column so that viscosities canbe measured by measuring the travel time of said ball i'rom one end ofthe column tothe'othert STUART nnucxmr.

